Bottle handling device

Abstract

A bottle handling device for assisting in inserting a number of similar sized bottles into a secondary container, such as a partitionless beer carton. The device comprises a frame which, when inserted into the empty carton, provides a number of similar sized cells or compartments equal to the number of bottles which would completely fill the carton. The frame is maintained by support means above the shoulders of the bottles when located in the carton. Each bottle is inserted into, and its main body passes through, the frame until the bottle sits on the carton floor, the walls of each cell preventing a bottle in that cell from toppling over and hindering the insertion of further bottles and completion of filling of the carton. Upon completion and filling of the carton, the device is readily removed for reuse and the bottles are maintained in their upright condition by contacting adjacent bottles and the carton walls.

We claim:  
     
       1. A bottle handling device for inserting a predetermined number of similar bottles in an upright orientation into a rectangular container having a bottom, two sides and two end walls and which container is adapted to be fully filled by said number of bottles when in that orientation, the device comprising a generally rectangular frame adapted to be removably inserted into and nestle in said container which frame is constructed of a series of spaced mutually generally parallel longitudinal wall members and a series of spaced mutually generally parallel transverse wall members both series of members having ends which extend substantially to a container end wall or a container sidewall respectively when the device is located in said container, each member of each series being joined at a series of connections with members of the other series to form a plurality of similar sized cells each of which is bound on at least two sides by sections of said longitudinal and said transverse members each cell being adapted to allow passage therethrough of a main body of a bottle, said frame being adapted, when located in a container, to be maintained via support means parallel to a base of said container and in a volume in said container above a lower volume occupied by main bodies of bottles when located in said container, a bottle guide member extending at right angles from each connection which is shared by four cells and which is adapted to extend toward said container base, each said bottle guide member being dimensioned to fit within a void existing between four bottles when located in said cells, and wherein said support means comprises of bottle guide members extending from the connections of the intersections between longitudinal and transverse members. 
     
     
       2. A bottle handling device for inserting twenty-four similar bottles in an upright orientation into a container having a rectangular shaped bottom, two sides and two end walls and which container is adapted to be fully filled by said number of bottles when in that orientation, the device comprising a frame which is constructed of a series of spaced mutually generally parallel longitudinal wall members and a series of spaced mutually generally parallel transverse wall members both series of members having ends which extend substantially to a container end wall or a container sidewall respectively when the device is located in said container, each member of each series being joined at a series of connections with members of the other series to form a plurality of similar sized generally rectangular cells arranged in a rectangular array each cell of which is bound on at least two sides by sections of said longitudinal and said transverse members each cell being adapted to allow passage therethrough of a main body of a bottle, said frame being adapted to be removably insertable into and nestle in said container, and when located in a container, to be maintained, via support means extending out of a plane which includes said frame, parallel to a base of said container and in a volume in said container above a lower volume occupied by main bodies of bottles when bottles are located in said container, a bottle guide member extending at right angles from each connection which is shared by four cells and which guide member is adapted to extend toward said container base and is dimensioned to fit within a void existing between four adjacent bottles when same are located in said cells, and wherein said support means comprises of bottle guide members extending from the connections of the intersections between longitudinal and transverse members. 
     
     
       3. A bottle handling device for inserting six similar bottles in an upright orientation into a rectangular container having a bottom, two sides and two end walls and which container is adapted to be fully filled by said number of bottles when in that orientation, the device comprising a generally rectangular frame adapted to be removably inserted into and nestle in said container which frame is constructed of a longitudinal wall member and two spaced mutually generally parallel transverse wall members the longitudinal member and the two transverse members having ends which extend substantially to a container end wall or a container sidewall respectively when the device is located in said container, the longitudinal member being joined at one connection with each of the two transverse members to form six similar sized cells each of which is bound on at least two sides by sections of said longitudinal and said transverse members each cell being adapted to allow passage therethrough of a main body of a bottle, said frame being adapted, when located in a container, to be maintained via support means parallel to a base of said container and in a volume existing above a lower volume occupied by main bodies of bottles when located in said container, a bottle guide member extending at right angles from each of the two connections and adapted to extend toward said container base, each said bottle guide member being dimensioned to fit within a void existing between four adjacent bottles when same are located in said cells, and wherein said support means comprises of bottle guide members extending from the connections of the intersections between longitudinal and transverse members. 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein said frame is maintained parallel to said base by said support means extending at right angles from said frame. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 1 ,  2 , or  3  wherein said support means extends downwardly from said frame to said container base and is adapted to fit within said void. 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein each corner cell is bordered on only two sides by sections of the longitudinal and transverse members. 
     
     
       7. The device according to  claim 1  wherein there are five such longitudinal members and seven such transverse members, joined so as to form twenty-four, generally rectangular similar sized cells. 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 7  wherein each outermost longitudinal member extends only from the second to the sixth transverse member and is secured to an end of each such transverse member and each outermost transverse member extends only from the second to the fourth longitudinal members and is secured to an end of each such longitudinal member. 
     
     
       9. The device according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein a number of said bottle guide members are extended so as to constitute said support means. 
     
     
       10. The device according to  claim 7  or  8  wherein said support means comprise extensions of bottle guide members extending from the connections between said second and fourth longitudinal and second and fifth transverse members. 
     
     
       11. The device according to  claim 1  wherein handle means are provided extending away from a side of the frame opposite to a side carrying the bottle guides. 
     
     
       12. The device according to  claim 11  wherein the handle means is adapted to pass through a cell of a similar device nested thereon. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  which is made of a semi rigid plastics material. 
     
     
       14. The device according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  which is made of polypropylene. 
     
     
       15. The device according to  claim 11  which is injection molded in one piece. 
     
     
       16. The device according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein each connection has a cross-section in the form of an X, each limb of which is outside a plane which includes the sections which are joined to a limb at that same connection. 
     
     
       17. The device according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein each section of such longitudinal and transverse frame member which forms an individual cell wall is sinuous in form. 
     
     
       18. The device according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein an edge of each said section which forms part of a cell opening which is adapted to receive a bottle is scalloped. 
     
     
       19. The device according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein a part of the longitudinal and the transverse frame wall members on the side of the frame carrying the bottle guides and which are adjacent an end wall or a side wall of the container are chamfered. 
     
     
       20. The device as claimed in  claim 3  wherein two further longitudinal members are located generally parallel to and one on each side of said longitudinal member and each is connected to an end of one transverse member and extends and is connected to an adjacent end of the other transverse member.